Trousers press and stretcher.



PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905.

- H. H. WELGH. I

TROUSERS PRESS AND STRETOHER.

APPLICATION FILED M AY31, 1904.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 1.

fit/022307" 'PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905.

r H. H. WELGH. TROUSERS PRESS AND STRETOHER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 31, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sT trEs rntrENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. wELoH, F "LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. I TROUSERS PRESS AND .STRETCHER- To all whom it may concern): I

Be it known that I, HENRY H. WELoH, a

citizen of the United States, residing in Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented and discovered a new and useful Trousers Press and Stretcher;

' and are stretched and pressed during the night,

and, second, to afford facilities and conven ience of the owners of trousers in having them stretched and pressed at home, thereby avoiding inconvenience and expense in sending the trousers to tailors shops and in pay I fully described in the specification shown upon the drawings appended hereto and specifically pointed out in the claims made a part hereof.

I attain these objects by the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement open and in position to receive a pair'of trousers after being folded. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the improvement, the lower portion of the legs or supports broken away, a pair of trousers having been folded, placed therein, stretched, and under-.

going the operation of being pressed. .Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of portions of one of the hinges, parts thereof-- broken away, parts I of the clamping-screw and nut also shown in elevation, parts of the upper and lower sections of the stretcher and press in section,

' and showing in section portions of the pair of trousers being. pressed. Fig. 4: is a View in section of parts of one hinge, portions thereof broken away, the screw and nut for clamping the two sections of the stretcher and press shown in elevation, and parts of the Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed May 31, 1904.. semi No. 210,566.

Pate nted Dec. 5, 1905.

two sections of the stretcher and press shown in section and portion thereof broken away. Fig. '5 is a view in elevation of parts of one of the hinges and of portionsof the-two sections of the stretcher and'press also in elevation, parts thereof broken away, and a portion of a pair of trousers being pressed and parts thereof broken away. spective view of the stretcher and press, a pair of trousersfolded and being pressed, the upper portion of the trousers projecting from Fig. '6 is a perthe wider end of the'stretcher and press; and

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of a portion of the narrower end of the stretcher and press,

the other parts thereof broken away and, 7 parts of a pair of trousers being pressed and 'parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The reference-numerals per and lower sections, respectively, of my improved stretcher and press. The numerals 3 3 indicatepairs of legs or supports for the stretcher and press. The pairs of legs at the narrower end of the stretcher and press are secured to the crossecleat 4: by means of hinges 4:5 45, only one of which is shown upon Fig. 7 of the drawings. .jOne wing of each of said hinges is secured to the under side of the said cross-cleat 4:, which is fastened to the under side of section 2, near the narrower end thereof, by screws 40 40, only one of which is shown upon Fig. 7 of the drawings; The other wing of each of said hinges 45 4:5 is fastened, by means of screws or equivalent devices, to the brace 42, connecting the pair of. legs near said narrower end of the stretcher and press.v The pair of legs at the wider end of the stretcher and press are directly secured to the under side of section 2 by means of hinges 41 41, as shown upon Fig. 6. of the drawings. Each of said pairs of legs or supports, at the upper ends thereof, are connected together by means of braces 4242.

To each end, on the under side of the lower section 2 of the stretcher and press, I secure, preferably by means of screws 5 5, the pivoted latches6 6, adapted to engage the yokes 7 7 when thelegs or supports 3 3 are in the position shown upon Figs. 1, 2, and 7 of the drawings. q

The legs 33 may be dispensed with, and in this event the stretcher and press may be supported upon a table or other piece of furni- 1 2 denote the upture used for other purposes in the homes of persons using my improved stretcher and press.

The lower section 2 of my stretcher and press, at the wider end and upon the upper face thereof, is cut out and forms a recess 10, as shown upon Fig. 1 of the drawings, in order that the thick waist portion of the trousers, when folded upon themselves and the pockets thereof can be accommodated therein when the upper section 1 of the stretcher and press is tightly clamped upon the trousers, closely folded upon the lower section 2 by means of the swivel-screws 12 12, and the clam ping-nuts l4 l4 tightly screwed down upon the slotted ends 16 16 of the preferably metal cleats 17 17, secured to the upper and lower sides of each of the two sections 1 2 of the stretcher and press near the ends thereof.

Upon the upper side of the lower section 2, at the narrower end of the same, I cut out and form therein a transverse recess 20 to accommodate the thickened or inturned ends of the lower portion of the trousers during the stretching and pressing operation. The inner edge 21 of the said transverse slot 20 assists in retaining the thickened inturned lower ends of the trousers within said recess while being stretched after the two narrower ends of the said two sections 1 2 of the stretcher and press have been clamped together before the wider ends of said two sections have been clamped.

At the wider end of the upper section 1 of the stretcher and press, upon the front edge thereof, I cut out a portion thereof forming a curved seat 25 for one knee ofthe operator to rest in while he stands upon one foot supporting the body upon one leg, the trousers tightly clamped at the narrower end of the stretcher and press. 'The operator drawing the trousers firmly until properly stretched, folding the waist portions and pockets within the recess 10 in the said lower section 2, screws down the upper section 1 upon the said section 2.

The lower section 2 is provided with a longitudinal central recess 26, extending from the recess 10 in the wider end of said section to the recess 20 in the narrower end of section 2, in which longitudinal recess the seams of the legs of the trousers are retained when folded and placed in position upon section 2 of the stretcher and press. I cover the inner surfaces of the said two sections by means of suitable textile material 30, as shown upon Figs. 1 and 7 of the drawings.

The ends of the two braces 17 17, secured to the under side of section 2 of the stretcher and press, are provided with slots 19 19 therein and with upturned ears 18 18. In said slots 19 19 between the two ears 18 18 upon the ends of said braces 17 17 l fasten, by means of pins 15 15, the swiveled screws 12 12, carrying the clamping-nuts let l4, and upon the opposite ends of the said braces 17 17 I fasten,

by means of pins 15 15, the clamping swivelscrews 12 12', carrying the clamping-nuts 1 1' 14. In the said upturned cars 18 18 of the cleats 17 17 on the under side of section 2 are slots 23 23, in which the screws 28 28, screwed to the ends of the cleats 17 17 upon the upper side of section 1 of the stretcher and press, are adapted to move when a pair of trousers have been folded and placed between the two sections 1 and 2 of the stretcher and press and the said sections are tightly clamped together. By means of the slots 23 23 and the screws 28 28, sliding therein, secured upon the ends of the preferably metal cleats 17 17 upon the upper side of section 1, the folded garment between said two sections is provided for, and the two said sections 1 and 2 remain in substantially horizontal positions when the clamping-nuts 14: 14 upon the ends of the screws 12 12, secured to the opposite ends of said cleats, are screwed down, clamping the two said sections 1 and 2 in substantially horizontal positions.

It will readily appear from the foregoing description, when read in connection with the drawings hereto appended and made a part of the specification and claims, what is the operation of applicants invention, and further description of the manner of operating applicants improvement is deemed unnecessary.

Having described my invention, what I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 15

1. A stretcher and press for trousers comprising a lower section and an upper section, the said lower section having recesses upon theinner side thereof near the ends thereof, a longitudinal recess extending between the said two end recesses and means for clamping the two sections together.

2. A stretcher and press for trousers comprising a lower and an upper section hinged together, the said lower section having end recesses upon the inner side thereof, a central longitudinal recess extending between and communicating with the said two end recesses and means for clamping the two sections together.

3. A stretcher and press for trousers comprising a lower section having a transverse recess in one end and a curved recess in the opposite end upon the inner side thereof, a central longitudinal recess extending between and connecting said transverse and curved recesses, the said sections hinged together by means of adjustable hinges.

4. A stretcher and press for trousers comprising an upper and a lower section adjustably hinged together upon the longitudinal lateral edges thereof, said lower section provided with a transverse recess upon the inner side thereof near the narrower end, a curved recess in the opposite end of said lower section, a longitudinal recess connecting the said two end recesses and means for clamping the prising upper and lower sections, said sections said two sections together in substantially parallel planes.

5. A stretcher and press for trousers comadjustably hinged together upon the longitudinal lateral edges thereof, the lower section having end recesses upon the inner side there- .of, a central recess connecting the said two hinged together upon the edges thereof, said lower section provided with end recesses, a central longitudinal recess communicating with said end recesses, the said upper section having in one end thereof acentrally-curved knee-seat and means for clamping the said two sections in parallel planes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name .to this specification in the presence of two sub-i scribing witnesses.

HENRY H. W ELCH.

Witnesses:

G. M. GIFFEN, ANNA MORGAN. 

